Katie Harkin

Last updated

Katie Harkin
Katie Harkin sitting in white and beige room.jpg
Background information
Born (1986-04-12) 12 April 1986 (age 38)
GenresIndie rock
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
  • keyboards
Years active2005–present
Website handmirror.bandcamp.com

Katie Harkin (born 12 April 1986) is an English musician and songwriter, originally from Leeds, England. [1] She was the vocalist and guitarist for Sky Larkin [2] and a touring member with Courtney Barnett, Sleater-Kinney and Wild Beasts. She has since released two solo albums under the name Harkin. [3]

Contents

Career

Harkin was a founding member of Sky Larkin from 2005 to 2014, performing guitar, keyboards and vocals while acting as the band's main songwriter. [4] She formed the band while attending university with her childhood friend Nestor Matthews. [5] The group released two singles on Dance To The Radio [6] and three albums on Wichita Recordings. [7]

In 2011 Harkin toured with Wild Beasts [3] in support of their album Smother and composed the score for 2016 Turner Prize winner Helen Martin's CGI animation Dust and Piranhas for The Serpentine Gallery in London. [8]

Beginning in 2015, she was a touring member of Sleater-Kinney, appearing on their live album Live in Paris. [9]

In 2016, Harkin worked with Waxahatchee on their album Out in the Storm , performing on the album and also contributing to some of the songwriting process. [10] She also toured with Flock of Dimes. [11]

In 2017, Harkin toured with Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett in their backing band to promote their album Lotta Sea Lice. [12] [13] She also soundtracked British comedian Josie Long's podcast All Of The Planet's Wonders Shown In Detail the same year. [14]

In 2018, Harkin toured with Barnett in her backing band in the US and Europe to promote her album Tell Me How You Really Feel. [15]

On 24 April 2020 Harkin released her first solo album, Harkin. [16] Her second album, Honeymoon Suite, was released in June 2022 on her own Hand Mirror label. [17]

Personal life

Harkin married Kate Hewett in 2020. The couple have a daughter, Tess Harkett. Their first daughter, Alba Harkett, was stillborn in January 2023. [18] [19]

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References

  1. "Meet Katie Harkin, Sleater-Kinney's new (touring) member". Oregonlive.com. 16 January 2015.
  2. "Meet Katie Harkin, Sleater-Kinney's Touring Fourth Member". 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Katie Harkin talks new solo project Harkin, and playing in Sleater-Kinney's live band". DIY Magazine. 28 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016.
  4. Chapman, Daniel (30 October 2015). ""I Can Let My Own Ambitions Be Small & Weird" — Katie Harkin". The City Talking. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  5. "Interview: Nestor Matthews of Sky Larkin". Theregoesthefear.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013.
  6. "Sky Larkin - Molten". 45cat.com.
  7. "Wichita Recordings - Shop - Sky Larkin". Wichita Recordings. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018.
  8. "Park Nights: Helen Marten's Dust and Piranhas". Archived from the original on 12 March 2018.
  9. "Sleater-Kinney - Live In Paris". Discogs.com. 27 January 2017. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018.
  10. "Waxahatchee Announces New Album, Shares Video for New Song "Silver": Watch | Pitchfork". Pitchfork.com. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  11. "Flock of Dimes celebrated her new album at Rough Trade with (Katie) Harkin". BrooklynVegan.com. 4 November 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  12. "Kurt Vile & Courtney Barnett Touring Together This Fall, Collaboration LP Out Later This Year – Matablog". Matablog.matadorrecords.com. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  13. "See Kurt Vile, Courtney Barnett's Deadpan 'Over Everything' Video". Rollingstone.com. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  14. "All Of The Planet's Wonders Shown In Detail". Stitcher.com. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  15. "Courtney Barnett, Albert Hall, Manchester review - mesmerising indie-rock set". Theartsdesk.com. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  16. "Harkin - Harkin - Album Review". Loud And Quiet. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  17. Smurthwaite, James (17 June 2022). "Album Review - HARKIN - HONEYMOON SUITE". DIY Magazine.
  18. @Harkathon (30 January 2023). "My wife @kateleahhewett and I are fundraising for @sandscharity in memory of our daughter, Alba Harkett" via Instagram.
  19. Frizzell, Nell (29 May 2024). "'It's a hallucinatory experience!': musicians on the awesome creative power of motherhood". The Guardian.